I am a teacher at a public school in New York. Every year
we have a luncheon sponsored by the school PTA. As there are
a number of observant teachers who require kosher food, it is
always provided for them. My question is, there are also a number
of non-observant Jewish teachers who eat non-kosher almost all
the time but request kosher food for this luncheon.

This has caused conflict between certain observant and non-observant
teachers who feel that it is causing an undue financial burden
upon the parents who sponsor this. As one teacher puts it, you
have to differentiate between those who require and those who
request. My question is: Is there a halachic source that I can
refer to for solving this problem? Are we not obligated to give
kosher food to any Jew if he/she requests it? Anything you can
cite would be quite helpful. Thank you!

Dear Gerry Sutofsky,

According to Jewish law, one should give kosher food even to
a non-observant Jew. Giving non-kosher food is a transgression
of the commandment "Do not place a stumbling block before
a blind person" (Leviticus 19). The fact that these
teachers are not consistent does not affect the fact that they
are obligated to eat kosher food. Even a Jew who has sinned is
still a Jew.